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Are Inter-denominationals beneficial to the Church?

By Apostle Pride Sibiya Since time immemorial, the Church has always worked and been helped by para-church organisations of all kinds, usually non-governmental organisations. One of such a concept is what we now commonly refer to as interdenominationals or just inter-d.

An interdenominational is a grouping of different denominations coming together under their leaders to benefit mutually from one another's gifts, callings and strengths. Most main line churches do not have a strength in spiritual gifts, most Pentecostal have poor adminstration so there is some interdependence here. In an inter-d pastors from different churches minister to the combined congregation. We had an Evangelical Fellowship in Zimbabwe where even pastors from main line churches ministers. One from United Methodist, then Baba Chiundiza from Glad Tidings then finally, Evangelist Chiweshe from Apostolic.

Are Inter-denominationals beneficial to the Church?

The first question that besets us is: Is inter-d on the level of congregants or leaders of churches with their congregants? If the motives are pure why not invite with the congregation, their pastor as well? There is a big interdenominational in Zimbabwe, Jesus For Africa Evangelistic Ministries(JFAEM) led by Evangelist Dr Paul Saungweme. It moves around partnering with pastors and church leaders, doing crusades for them and releasing the fruit to the churches. I guess this is the proper way for inter-ds to function. An inter-d must not destroy churches but build the Body of Christ. An inter-d is not a church, it is a para-church organisation. If an inter-d brings strength to church or Church then it is relevant and beneficial. We salute such interds!

However some have very destructive tendencies. Here are some of them that make some interds to be at best of no use to church, at worst detrimental to the body of Christ:

1. The inter-d have no other church leader except the founder yet they lure people from different churches. 2. Instead of going for sinners they target the churched already. 3. They lambast churches in the disguise of bringing new revelation or proper Christianity. 4. Over-emphasise a particular docttrine thereby making all churches without that particular strength live their churches. When someone emphasises signs and wonders, those without that strength lose members. But is Christianity just about signs and wonders? 5. They tap on church finances by telling church members to seed in them or tithe to them personally. Many saints give cars to interds but never in the churches that brought them up faithfully. When their child dies they come back to church for the pastor they forsook to help them because interds don't bury people. 6. Overemphsis of one doctrine makes members focus on one aspect of Christianity. 7. After the interd dies many people feel betrayed, and many go back to the world because they cannot go back to the churches they were despising. 8. There is no check on doctrines so people get away with teaching heresy without checks and balances. Jim Jones killed over 900 people with cynide through closing them out of the "outer world." Many are keeping women in their bedrooms so that they may be delivered. 9. Openly attack fathers that have gone before them so as to attract followers. They say, God said he had called so and so but he failed so he has called me. 10. Instead of working with the people's pastors when God reveals something about them, you just hear that your son has been ordained an apostle in an interd. That person will be very hard to correct after such ordination. 11. In order to keep members some are given wrong prophecies that they were never given in their churches. 12. An interd will always look more powerful than church so congregants tend to be more aligned to them. This is because interds tap from people who have been taught all foundational doctrines in church who are just looking for supplimentary feeding, people who have already had real food from church, there is not real commitment of the leader to visit the sick, bury the dead et.al so it always seems more powerful than church. Ngwarai, be wise.

As a result we now see most of the interds as just a way to start a church. Someone knows that they want to start a church but are afraid to start alone so they lure church members in the name of interd then when all is in place turn it into a church.

When interds are done the wrong way they are not beneficial therefore must be forsaken, but thank God for genuine interds like JFAEM. God bless your good heart, you are doing a great work to evangelise, grow and revive the church of Christ.

Are you doing the right thing? Its not about the calling of the name of Jesus, it is about the spirit behind!